America's Black Holocaust Museum facts for kids
The America's Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM) is a special museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It remembers the history of the Black Holocaust in America. This museum was started in 1988 by James Cameron. He was known for surviving a terrible attack when he was young.
The building where the new museum is located is called the Griot Building. It's named after James Cameron. A "griot" is a West African storyteller and news-bringer.
James Cameron passed away in 2006. In 2008, the museum had to close for a while. This was because of money problems during a tough economic time. In 2012, a group called the Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation was created. They wanted to continue his important work. That same year, they reopened ABHM as a large virtual museum online at www.abhmuseum.org.
In 2016, the Foundation started planning for a new physical museum. This new museum is on the ground floor of the Griot building. It is located at 401 W. North Avenue in Milwaukee's historic Bronzeville neighborhood. The new museum opened in Fall 2019.
Contents
History of the Museum
James Cameron's Story
When James Cameron was 16, he survived a violent event where two friends died. He then spent five years in prison. After this, he decided to dedicate his life to something important. He got an education and worked hard. He also raised five children. He spent his life learning about the African-American experience in the United States.
Cameron worked for civil rights. He wrote articles, pamphlets, and a book called A Time of Terror: A Survivor's Story. He also collected many items and materials about African-American history.
After he retired, Cameron and his wife visited Yad Vashem. This is a Holocaust memorial museum in Israel. He felt that museum helped people understand history better by focusing on personal stories. Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1988, he started his own museum. He had collected materials for many years. Daniel Bader, a kind supporter, helped him.
The Physical Museum Building
The ABHM in Milwaukee is unique. It is the only museum that shows the African American experience as an ongoing "holocaust." This means a series of mass terrible events. These events range from the time people were captured in Africa to today. The museum looks at the sad history of slavery. It also works to promote healing and understanding between races. It helps people become more aware and empathetic.
Cameron died in 2006. In 2008, the museum's leaders announced it would close temporarily. This was due to money issues. The original museum building was torn down in early 2017. The area was then redeveloped.
On April 4, 2017, work began on a new building called The Griot. It was built where the original museum stood. The new museum is on the ground floor of The Griot building. It was planned to open in 2019.
The Online Museum
After the original building closed, a new ABHM was created as an "online museum." This virtual museum officially launched on February 25, 2012. This date was chosen to celebrate Cameron's birthday and Black History Month.
The online museum is run by the Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation Inc. It gets about 5 million visitors each year from over 200 countries. The online experience adds to the physical museum. It shares many stories, both sad and triumphant, that are often not told. It uses short texts, pictures, videos, documents, and links to more information.
What You Can Learn
There is also a Black Holocaust memorial in Savannah, Georgia. But the ABHM is a place for learning. It helps people understand the Black Holocaust. It is also a supportive place to share ideas about race and racism in America.
The museum teaches visitors about African-American culture and history. It does this through exhibits, special programs, and guided tours. It covers seven different historical periods. These periods are also explored in the Virtual Museum:
- African Peoples Before Captivity
- Kidnapped: The Middle Passage
- Three Centuries Of Enslavement
- Reconstruction: A Brief Glimpse of Freedom
- One Hundred Years of Jim Crow
- I Am Somebody! The Struggle for Justice
- NOW: Free At Last?
ABHM welcomes everyone, no matter their race or background. It encourages communities to understand the nation's history of racism and prejudice. It also promotes social change and understanding between different cultures.
